Materia Medica Malaysiana

MEDICAL care is not a privilege but the right of every citizen.

If a person cannot pay, the Government should step in and help. But welfare would be better served if people volunteered to augment the efforts of a caring state. And non-governmental organisations have done exemplary work in assisting the Government to treat patients suffering from severe kidney ailments.

Haemodialysis can help a kidney patient lead a normal life, but it requires regular weekly treatments on a dialysis machine. Ideally, all those suffering from end-stage renal failure should be able to receive dialysis in government hospitals. But they are already stretched to the limit and treatment in private clinics is expensive.

The NGOs have extended a life-saving service by setting up centres to provide subsidised treatment to patients. The Health Ministry has rightly given them financial aid. The amount is not small, totalling RM33.4 million for the 52 centres run by NGOs since 2001. This works out to an average of some RM11 million per year. But it is money worth spending because there is nothing more precious than saving lives and easing the suffering of patients and their families. The NGOs should continue to build more dialysis centres by raising funds on their own. This is a worthwhile cause to which we should all contribute.